On June 29, the President signed the 20th extension (H.R. 2279) of the most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization law, VISION 100, which expired in 2007. H.R. 2279 provides operating authority and funding for the agency through July 22.

The extension is necessary to avoid a lapse of funding for the agency because House and Senate negotiators have failed to reconcile differences between the two chambers’ FAA reauthorization bill. Word on the Hill is that the primary obstacle to enacting a new authorization law is financing. The House measure allocates $59.7 billion in funding over four years while the Senate’s provides $35 billion over two years. Additionally, provisions dealing with repair stations, union organizing at airlines, and the essential air service must still be resolved.

Repair stations are encouraged to take advantage of this congressional inaction and press lawmakers to refrain from adopting language that unnecessarily micromanages the aviation maintenance industry. Click here to send a note to Capitol Hill supporting the ARSA-endorsed House-passed maintenance provisions.

~~~ posted 06/30/11 ~~~

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